SACRAMENTO / 2 Bay Area districts earn refugee grants

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, April 23, 2006

Two Bay Area school districts, Oakland Unified in Alameda County and East Side Union High in Santa Clara County, are among 10 districts across the state to share in $1.3 million intended to help refugee children who have been persecuted in their home countries.

The competitive federal grants -- up to $150,000 each -- were awarded to districts where there was evidence of need and well-established systems already in place to help such students, according to state schools chief Jack O'Connell, whose Department of Education is administering the program with the state Department of Social Services.

"These grants will help students who have had more than their share of hardships at such a young age," O'Connell said.